35+ Times Drones Captured Photos Of Strange Things

First used by the CIA in a combat role in Afghanistan in 2002, drones have grown to be used for many non-military uses, including to take aerial photographs. The use of drones give photographers unprecedented views of their subject matter, including buildings, the surrounding landscape, and living subjects.

The use of drones in photography is a relatively new fad, with many photographers competing to take the best pictures. In addition to providing a great way to take photos, aerial photography is used in journalism and the filming of documentaries.

The best aerial photographs range from surprise moments caught on camera to an overarching view of beautiful scenery and natural disasters, as well as people caught in compromising situations. These photos, some of them award-winning, are classic examples of amazing drone photos.

1) Tanning

Here is a young woman caught in a compromising position tanning on a rooftop. While a big invasion of privacy, this picture is a great example of how drones show that anyone can be watching regardless of where you are.

2) Sun Bathing

Here is another person sunbathing, this time in a precarious position. Also, this person is wearing all of their clothes. I’m just amazed that someone would climb all the way to the top of a wind turbine to get some sun. The last time I checked, sunlight still reached the ground, where it is much safer!

3) No Trespassing

As you can see by these photos, this individual does not like intruders, especially drones. Not only does he not like them, he is okay with using violence to keep any drones away. All I can say is, stay off this person’s property.

4) Pontiac Silverdome

Once a great venue in the city of Detroit, Michigan, the Pontiac Silverdome has fallen into a state of disrepair. To top it off, part of it was demolished in 2017. This photo shows the condition of the stadium prior to the implosion. And to think at one time this stadium even had a roof.

5) Circling in for the Kill

Here is a scary sight. This kite surfer was enjoying her day on the water when she unknowingly attracted the attention of a nearby shark. Luckily, her friends on the shore were able to warn her and she was able to get to the shore before the shark could attack.

6) Croc Attack

Here is a drone photo of a crocodile chowing down on a pig in the water. What is chilling about this photo is that this giant beast actually lives near the small village of Baia in East New Britain in Papua New Guinea. Hopefully, the parents of the village keep a close eye on their children when they are near the water.

7) Mayflower, Arkansas, Tornado Aftermath

Here is a drone shot of some damage done by a series of tornadoes that hit Mayflower, Arkansas, in 2014. The storm system destroyed entire neighborhoods, as can be seen in the photo, and caused 16 deaths across the state. Just one more examples of nature’s fury.

8) Clown

The last thing you would expect to capture with a drone while taking pictures of a cornfield is a clown. That is exactly what one photographer got while flying over this cornfield in Huntsville, Alabama. Chances are the whole thing is staged, but if not, think of the frightening implications.

9) Hurricane Harvey Aftermath

This drone photo shows just some of the devastating floods brought by Hurricane Harvey to the Houston, Texas, area. This drone photo is of a neighborhood in Port Aranas, one of the areas hit by the storm, which caused 37 deaths and tens of billions of dollars in damage.

10) St. Petersburg Flyover

Here is a drone photo of St. Petersburg, Russia, the second largest city in the country. With a population of more than 6 million people, the city acts as a Russian port on the Baltic Sea. The city was founded by Tsar Peter the Great in 1703.

11) The Lurker

These two women have no idea of the danger they are in. If they knew what lurked in the water right below them, they would not be wasting their time with high fives, and would instead be trying to get out of the water. Hopefully, they noticed before it was too late.

12) Baseball Diamond

This is a drone photo taken high above a baseball diamond in Virginia Beach, Virginia. You can see the players, probably little leaguers, lined up prior to their baseball game. On the benches you can see a scattering of what looks like parents and grandparents.

13) Sao Paulo Sinkhole

Here is a picture of a massive sinkhole in Sao Paulo, Gutemala. The sinkhole was an estimated 60 feet wide and 300 feet deep. The likely culprit was a busted sewer pipe, which hallowed out the ground beneath the roadway.

14) Vulture Flight

This drone is flying along with a flock of griffon vultures over Ronda, Spain. This large avian has a wingspan of up to nine feet, as you can see in the drone photo. The vulture is found all across Europe and in parts of the Middle East.

15) On the Edge

This drone photographer caught a picture of this airplane at Trabzon airport in Turkey. The plane had slipped off of the runway as it came in for a landing. All 168 people on board were OK, if not a little worse for wear.

16) Tower of Pisa

Here is a photo of the famed landmark the Leaning Tower of Pisa — so named because of the obvious tilt of the tower due to a construction error. The drone flies far overhead, capturing area visitors as small specks below some of the sites.

17) Feeding Frenzy

This picture, caught by an underwater drone, shows a group of divers off the coast of Nassau in the Bahamas. Around them a group of Caribbean reef sharks are in a feeding frenzy. And while attacks on humans by reef sharks are rare, they do happen.

18) Niagara Falls Flyover

Here is an overhead shot of the iconic Niagara Falls. A destination for visitors from around the world, this drone footage shows the sheer magnitude of just part of the falls and its majestic beauty.

19) Flying High

This drone took a picture while flying over an airline jet. According to the Academy of Model Aeronautics, drone operators should avoid flying over moving objects, especially aircraft, so it is surprising that this drone operator is taking such a big risk.

20) Kilauea Caldera Flyover

Here is a photo of the Halemaumau Crater in the Kilauea Caldera in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the main island of Hawaii. You can barely see any lava in the crater even though it’s evidently there, as demonstrated by the glowing cracks of the inner crater.

Tushevs Aerials
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Tushevs Aerials

21) Crop Circle

Drones are the perfect way to catch unexplained phenomena without having to disturb the surroundings. This photo is of a crop circle in a field in Whiltshire in England. Believe it or not, drone operators commonly come across crop circles by happenstance while surveying the countryside.

22) PCH at Big Sur

Here is another breathtaking drone photo, this one of the California coast. The road high above the coastline below is the Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH, at Big Sur. This is known by many as one of the most beautiful stretches of roadway in the U.S., as evidenced by this photo.

23) Lion Attack

This drone operator caught a lion in mid-pounce. Unfortunately, the lion pictured was able to easily swat the drone from the air, where it and its fellow lions chewed it up — a worthwhile sacrifice to get such a great picture.

24) Fossil Rock Flyover

This drone photo is of Fossil Rock in Dubai the United Arab Emirates. Visitors to the area can see Fossil Rock from over 15 miles away, and climbing to its summit gives a breathtaking view of the surrounding desert, as evidenced by this drone picture.

25) Roadside Bombing

This photo was taken by a drone operated by a member of ISIS in Iraq. The terrorist organization likes to take such shots in an attempt to show the power of the group. Unfortunately, such incidents only prolong the conflict in the region.

26) Mountain Top

This photo is of a mountain called the Aiguille du Midi in the Mont Blanc Massif, a mountain range in Chamonix, France. This drone was flying at an altitude of over 12,000 feet, where it took a picture of the peak, also known as the Needle of the Midi.

27) UFO?

This drone supposedly captured a UFO in one of its photos. Taken in California’s Silicon Valley, it appears to show a strange craft moving through the California sky. And while there was accompanying video with the photo, experts are at a loss for what the object is.

28) California Coast Flyover

Here is a photo from a flyover of the Goleta Coastline in Southern Santa Barbara, California. The land itself is the typical golden brown of the California landscape (due to drought), while the water is a deep blue. The drone really captures the contrast of colors well.

verticalvisions
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verticalvisions

29) Close Encounter

Here is a paddle boarder having a close encounter with a shark in the waters off the coast of Australia. The drone pilot filmed the paddle boarder as he made his way out into the water, completely unaware of the danger that lurked below.

30) Beach

Here is an overhead photo of a crowded beach in Guarapari, Espirito Santo, Brazil. Take note of the multiple-colored beach umbrellas, as well as the small specks, which are actually individual beachgoers.

Cleferson Comarela
Source:

Cleferson Comarela

31) Beheading

This drone photo is a perfect example of the brutality that still exists in parts of our world. The drone was piloted by a member of ISIS in Anbar Province in Iraq. The person being executed had supposedly violated Sharia law.

32) Tightrope Walker

Here is a tightrope walker walking untethered on a tightrope above the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The city can be seen in shadows the background as the Sun is behind the hills that surround the city.

33) Auschwitz Flyover

This drone caught this photo while doing a flyover of the Auschwitz concentration camp located in Poland. The site serves as a stark reminder of the evil that men can do, and hopefully a warning for future generations of what can happen when you let hate win.

34) Snorkeling

Here is an overhead photo of a group of snorkelers enjoying the coral gardens at Taha’a lagoon in French Polynesia. The waters within the lagoon are so crystal clear that some of the snorkelers look like they are walking on top of the water.

Marama Photo Video
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Marama Photo Video

35) Shark Attack

Here is a drone photo of a shark and a killer whale facing off. Killer whales are the natural enemies of sharks and more often than not come out on top in such a fight. Weighing roughly 12,000 pounds, killer whales have both a strength and size advantage over many of the sharks they encounter.

36) World Cup

This photo was taken far overhead the Argentina and Germany’s World Cup Final match in the 2014 World Cup. The photographer has caught a fireworks display in full explosion. Amidst the lights, you can see players on the field.

37) Tubbs Fire

Drones are perfect for taking photos of disaster areas. And while such events are unfortunate, drone flyovers can give a new perspective on the devastation that happens. This photo is of the Tubbs fire aftermath in Northern California.

38) Tamul Waterfall Flyover

This overhead photo of the Tamul waterfall in Mexico won first prize in the category of Most Liked photo in the Dronestagram 2014 Aerial Contest. The drone camera was able to capture the falls in all of their beauty.

39) Vanuatu Volcano Flyover

Here is another photo a drone took as it flew over a volcano in Vanuatu. And while the scientists involved were able to get some breathtaking photos using drones, they did lose several drones, especially due to the intense heat of the volcano.

40) Flying Eagle

This drone photo won first in the Dronestagram 2014 Aerial Contest. It depicts an eagle flying over the Bali Barat National Park in Bali, Indonesia. Imagine the skill it must take to get in position with a drone to take this beautiful photo.

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National Geographic
Source:

National Geographic

With the invention of drones, a new world of photography was opened up. Now, photographers can safely get closer to their subject matter or get into unprecedented vantage points to get the most beautiful pictures imagined. These were some of the most amazing drone photos we found. And we’re sure more will pop up soon.